First Responder Certification

First Responder Equivalency

First Responder certification plays an important role in the profession of Athletic Therapy and is required by the CATA in order to:

• Apply for and attempt the National Certification Examination

For a list of specific courses that have been approved by CATA to meet the First Responder requirements, please refer to the CATA Examination Handbook or click here.

If you have taken a course that is not listed in the Examination Handbook and you wish to submit it for approval, please send a detailed course outline to CATA’s National Office info@athletictherapy.org. CATA has compiled the following list of minimum competencies that must be met in order for a course to be accepted as an equivalent First Responder course. However, an external agency may require a formal certification and may not accept the CATA’s approved equivalency.

First Responder Minimum Competencies

The following are a list of core competencies required in order for a First Responder course to be deemed equivalent. These competencies are required by CATA and do not imply equivalency with any other agency. All courses must be a minimum of thirty (30) hours in length.